Ash-discharger.



F. P. PALEN dz W. BURLINGHAM.

ASH DISGHARGER.

APPLICATION IILED DEC. 2, 1910.

96,208, U5 Patented Mar 7,1911. Q 7

1n: NORRIS Psi-IR: CO1, wumnc'rou. n. c.

para

FREDERICK 1?. PALEN,

1 QEFFEQEQ OF NEWPORT NEWS, AND W'ILLIAM BURLINGHAM, F

HAMPTON, VIRGINIA.

ASH-DISCHARGER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed December 2, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FREDERICK P. PALEN and VILLIAM, BURLINGHAM, citizens of the United States, residing at Newport News, in the county of \Varwick and State of Virginia, and Hampton, Elizabeth City county, Virginia, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ash-Dis chargers, of which the following is a specification.

()ur invention relates to improvements in ash dischargers, and has particular reference to an improved form of hydraulic ash discharger for use upon vessels.

The leading object of our invention is the provision of an improved form of hydraulic ash discharger which will discharge the ashes through the bottom of the vessel and which shall be so constructed as to operate automatically to open the discharge opening communicating with the interior of the vessel only when there is suflicient hydraulic pressure within said discharge pipe to over-bah ance the pressure of the sea-water at the discharge opening in the bottom of the vessel.

A further object of our invention is the provision of mechanism of the character above set forth which shall be either manually or automatically operated to shut off the sea-water and to close the passages through which it might gain access to the interior of the vessel, said automatic means employing the inrushing pressure of the sea water itself to close the entrances therefor.

Another object of our invention is the provision of an improved hydraulic ash dumping mechanism for vessels which will pro vide a direct open passage for the ashes and other foreign matter contained therein but in which the said passage will remain closed until the hydraulic pressure for counteracting the ocean pressure is in excess of the said ocean pressure to positively prevent the sea water from entering the interior of the ship, and which mechanism shall operate automatically to close the ports communieating with the interior of the vessel before the ocean pressure and the hydraulic pressure have become equal.

To attain the desired objects, our invention comprises a water system in communication with the sea at both ends and having a pump intermediate the length thereof for creating hydraulic pressure, an ash hopper having a discharge pipe extending into the water system and closed by a gate adapted to be opened by the pressure of the water forced therepast by. the pump, a series of pistons operated respectively by the hy draulic and ocean pressures, and a valve in the ash discharge pipe controlled by the movement of said pistons and opened only when the ocean pressure against its piston is less than the hydraulic pressure against the other piston, the invention further residing in the novel features of construction and combination and arrangement of parts for service substantially as described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

The drawing represents a side elevation, partly in section of our improved ash dumping mechanism.

In the drawing,

the numeral 6 denotes the vertical discharge pipe open to the ocean at the bottom &1 of the vessel and extending upward through the inner bottom 40 and floor 39 of the fire room and having at its upper end the enlarged elbow-chamber a to which is connected the pipe 7 leading to the pump 8 and receiving the discharge therefrom, while leading from the inlet of the pump is the pipe 10 controlled by the valve 9 and likewise extending through the bottoms of the vessel and having its end open to the ocean. To normally close the pipe 6 we employ the valve 5 having the rod 28 secured thereto and connected by the beveled gears 27 with the rod 26 having a hand wheel for rotating the rods and thus opening and closing the valve 5.

Projecting downward into the chamber 4 is the discharge pipe 3 having the valve 2 operated by the handle 11, this valve serving to shut off the flow of the ashes downward from the ash hopper l and also preventing any upward flow of water from the chamber 4 through the pipe 3, while to prevent the entrance of water into the pipe 3 there is pivotally secured to the side of the chamber f the valve 42 which swings upward impelled by the weight 43 and seats against the bottom of the pipe 3. as shown in the drawings, the position occupied by the valve 42 when open being indicated in dotted lines. To close the top of the ash hopper we employ the cover secured by the clamps or fastenings 32, while a grate 31 is formed in the bottom of the hopper to break up the large clinlrers to permit them to pass out through the pipe 3, said pipe and the pipe 6 both being slightly flaring in form to prevent any matter start-ing therethrough from clogging the pipes.

To operate the discharge valve 2 of the ash discharge pipe 3 we secure to the handle 11 the link or pitman 12 having its other end connected to the piston rod 18 which projects into the double cylinder 14-45, said cylinder having a large portion 11 in which moves the piston 16 secured on the rod 13 and a reduced portion 15 in which moves the piston 17 secured on the end of the pison rod 13. Said double cylinder is provided with a port 18 at the forward end of the portion 1i, said port being in communication through the pipe 28 with the ocean at the bottom of the vessel and having at the opposite end of said portion let the port 19 connected by the waste pipe 2t with the bilge or other suitable discharge point, while at the end of the reduced portion 15 is the inlet port it from which leads the pipe as to the discharge of the pump 8, a cock 20 being located in said pipe and controlled by the handle 21, said valve being adapted to connect the port at with either the waste pipe 22 or the pipe e5 as desired.

In the operation of our mechanism, the pump 8 being suitablydriven and the valves 5 and 9 opened, a current of sea water will flow in the direction indicated by the arrows, and as the force of the said flow increases it will tend to impinge forcibly against the portion of the valve e2 between the pipe 3 and the side of the chamber to force said valve open. At the same time the valve 20 is turned to connect the port 4: 1 and pipe 45, when the water under the pressure of the pump will enter the cylinder 15 and by its force presses the piston outward against the pressure of the sea water against the piston 16, and as the piston 17 is smaller than the piston 16 a greater pres sure is required in the cylinder 15 than is present in the cylinder 14:, and said pressure will move the piston rod 13 to, through the pitman 12, shift and open the valve 2 and allow the ashes to drop into the pipe 3, where they will be drawn into and carried through the bottom of the ship by the hydraulic stream which on account of its flow creates a suction in the pipe 3, the valve 12 having been previously forced open and held in the position indicated by the dotted lines on the drawing by the pressure of the hydraulic stream flowing out through the pipe 6. In this condition the valve 2 and the valve e2 remain open so long as sufficient hydraulic pressure is maintained by the hydraulic pump, thereby providing a free opening in the bottom of the .hip through which ashes may be continuously discharged. As the pressure decreases from the hydraulic pump the pressure in pipe 15 and cylinder 15 Wlll likewise decrease and the pressure of the ocean water against the larger surface of the piston 16 will move the piston rod 13 in the opposite direction and close the valve 2. hen it is desired to suddenly and manually close the valve 2 the valve 20 is shifted to connect the port tl with the waste pipe 22 which relieves the pressure in the cylinder 15.

To provide for cleaning the hopper or the pipe 3 we connect with the ocean the pipe 29 having a valve 33 controlling the fiow of said fluid through the chamber 38 and port 3% into. the ash hopper, and having a second valve 35 controlling its flow through the chamber 36 and port 37 into the pipe 3.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawing the construction and operation of our improved ash dumping mechanism will be readily understood and its advantages be fully appreciated, and it will be seen that we have provided an improved mechanism whereby ashes may be dumped below the water line of the vessel with perfect safety and in which there is no danger or possibility of the ship being flooded through said discharge port, inasmuch as the said port is closed by a valve which can be either automatically or manually closed butwhich can be opened only when the pressure caused by the pump is considerably in excess of the pressure of the water against the discharge opening, and which mechanism will therefore recommend itself to all persons desiring mechanism for dumping ashes from vessels as a thoroughly efficient, simple, practical, inexpensive and durable mechanism.

o claim:

1. In an ash discharger of the hydraulic type dischargingbelow the water line, means for automatically opening the discharge port when the hydraulic stream has attained a sufticient velocity-pressure to prevent the outside water from entering, and means for automatically closing said port before the pressure of the hydraulic stream is sufficiently reduced to permit the outside water to enter.

2. In an ash discharger of the hydraulic type, the combination with a pressure pump, of an ash discharge pipe emptying into the stream from said pump, and means operated by the pressure of the pump for opening the valve of the discharge pipe when the pressure of said stream is greater than the pressure of the outer water, and means for closing said valve while said pump-pressure is still slightly in excess of the pressure of the outer water.

3. In an ash discharger, the combination with a hydraulic pressure system, of an ash hopper adapted to dump into said system, and a valve for said hopper opened by the excess of pressure in the hydraulic system over the ocean Water and closed by the pressure of the ocean Water when said pressure is but slightly less than the pressure in the hydraulic system.

4. In an ash discharger, the combination of a hydraulic pressure system, of an ash hopper adapted to discharge thereinto, a valve for regulating the discharge, a piston rod connected to said valve, cylinders of dif- -ferent-diameters surrounding the piston rod, pistons in said cylinders, and means for introducing hydraulic pressure against the smaller of said pistons to open and retain in opened position the discharge-regulating valve and for introducing ocean pressure against the larger piston to act against the hydraulic pressure and thus close the valve as the two pressures approach equality.

5. In an ash discharger, the combination With a pressure system, having both ends in communication With the Water, of a vessel in Which said system is mounted, a pump for creating velocity-pressure in the system, an ash hopper, a vertical pipe depending from the hopper and projecting into the system, a valve normally closed to seat against the end of said pipe by a Weight but adapted to be opened by the impact of the current generated by the pump thereagainst, a discharge regulating valve at the base of the hopper, and means operated by the fluid pressure of the hydraulic system to open said valve, and means operated by the pressure of the Water on which the vessel floats for closing the valve as the hydraulic pressure decreases toward that of said supporting fluid.

In testimony whereof We aflix our signa tures, in presence of tWo Witnesses.

FREDERICK P. PALEN. lVILLIAM BURLINGHAM.

Witnesses J OHN F. NICHOLS, JOHN W. RANDLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

